Speed-controlling apparatus for railway-vehicles.



APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. 915 RENEWED AUG. 2, i918.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

L. V. LEWIS.

SPEED CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED mm. 1915. RENEWED AUG. 2, 1918.

1,280,500. Patented 001;. 1, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FEG- 2 WITNESSES INVENTOR entrain snares r OFFICE.

LLOYD V. LEWIS, F EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, IENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SPEED-CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918..

Original application filed March 19, 1913, Serial No. 755,537. Divided and this application filed July 2, 1915, Serial No. 37,735. Renewed August 2, 1918. Serial No. 248,070.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLOYD V. Lnwis, a' citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsfylvania, have invented certain new and use 111 Improvements in Speed-Controlling Apparatus for R-ail-' embodying my invention and will then 'point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawlngs Figure 1 1s a new showlng one form of apparatus embodying my invention applied to a railway vehicle. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View showing a portion of a railway having applied thereto one form of apparatus and circuits embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring now particularly to Fig. l, the reference character 1 designates a track rail of a railway track upon which a vehicle 2 is adapted to travel. This vehicle may, for example, be a steam locomotive or an electric motor car; for purposes of simplifying the.

drawing, the only part of the vehicle proper which I have here shown is a wheel 3 and axle 4. The vehicle 2 is provided .with a fluid pressure braking apparatus comprising as usual a main fluid pressure reservoir 5,

and a brake pipe 6. It is understood that the reservoir 5 is supplied constantly with fluid pressure from a suitable source. such as an air compressor; and it is also understood that a reduction of pressure in the brake pipe causes an application of the brakes.

Mounted on the vehicle 2 is an inclosing box 7, which carries a centrifugal device 8 operated by the wheel 3. As hereshown, this centrifugal device comprises a rod 9 pivotally mounted on trunnions 11 in a hollow shaft 12 provided with slots 12* through which the rod 9 passes freely; the shaft 12 is mounted on ball bearings 13 in the box 7.

whichmeshes with a helical gear 19 fixed to the axle 4, so that the centrifugal device 8 is constantly operated. from the wheel 3 of the vehicle. The rod 9 is provided with weights 10,10. Pivoted to the rod 9 on opposite sides of the trunnions 11 are two links 14 and 15 which extend into the shaft 12 in opposite directions from the trunnions '11, and which abut against two heads 16 and 17, respectively, which heads are movable longitudinally in the shaft 12. It will be evident that while the vehicle is moving, the weights 1O tend to fly out from the positions in which they are shown, thereby tending to push the heads, 16 and 17 outwardly toward the ends of the shaft 12.

The head 17 carries at its outer end .i thrust bearing 20 upon the balls of which is mounted a cap 21 which may, therefore, remain stationary while the head 17 rotates. This cap 21 bears against one face of a diaphragm 22 mounted in the box 7. The other face of this diaphragm is exposed to fluid pressure in a pipe 23 which is connected with a reservoir 24. The reservoir 24. is connectedwiththe brake pipe 6, or with atmosphere by a valve 25 according as this valve occupies one position or another; as here shown, this valve is of the double pin valve type, the structure and operation of which is so well known as to require no further explanationherein.

, Vhen the head 16 is pushed outwardlyby.

the centrifugal device 8, it opens a valve which then causes an application of the train brakes in a manner hereinafter explained. The tendency of the centrifiigal device to fiy out is resisted by fluid pressure supplied to the pipe 23 from the train pipe 6 as I will hereinafter explain, and the centrifugal device is so constructed that at any given speed it remains closed until the fluid pressure offering the resistance is reduced to a predetermined value. The centrifugal device then immediately opens to its extreme position thus -openin valve 50. In other words, the weights of t e centrifugal device do not vary in position in accordance with the resisting force or in accordance with. the speed of the train, but they are fully open or fully closed according as the speed of the train is above or below a predetermined value. When the speed of the train rises above a given value as determined by the force. resisting the centrifugal device, the balls immediately fly out and the train is brought to a stop.

I The valve 25 is so controlled that it is usually in position to connect the reservoir 24 with the brake pipe 6, butthat it may at times be reversed in position so as to disconnect the reservoir 24 from the brake pipe and connect the reservoir with atmosphere through port 28. The means for accomplishing this control may be of any suitable kind, and forms no part of my present invention; I will, however, now explain the control means which I have shown in the drawings. The valve 25 is biased by gravity and by a spring 27 to the second-mentioned position, that is, to such position that the reservoir is opened to atmosphere through port 28. Acting, however, in opposition to gravity and the spring 27 is an electromag- -net 26 the action of which when energized is sufficient to move the valve to the position in which it is shown in the drawing, that is, to such position that the reservoir 24 is connected with the brake pipe 6. The magnet 26 is normally energized by'the following circuit, all of which is carried by the vehicle from battery 29 through wire 30, magnet 26, wire 31, armature contact 32 of a relay 33, wire 45to battery 29. "The relay 33 is normally energized by a closed'circuit which may be traced as follows :-from battery 29v through wire 30, relay 33, wire 34, contact 35,.wire 36, armature contact 32, wire 45 to battery 29. The contact 35 is connected with a rod 38 which latter is connected with a shoe-37 adapted to be raised by the inclined surface of a. trip 39 located in the trackway. The shoe 37 is biased by a spring 46 to such position that the contact 35 1s closed, but when the shoe is raised by trip 39 it opens contact 35. The relay 33 is provided with an auxiliary circuit including a battery 43 and contact 41 located in the trackway. Contact 41 is adapted when in certain positions to connect battery 43 with both the ramp rail and the track rail, and when in another position to connect these rails by wires 40, 42 and 70. When the shoe 37 is raised by the trip 39, if the contact 41 is in such position as to connect battery 43 with both the ramp rail 39 and the track rail 1, the relay 33 continues to be energized by the following circuit-from battery 43 through contact 41, wire 40, trip 39, shoe 37, rod 38, contact 35, wire 34, relay 33, wires 30 and 47, brush 48, axle 4 and wheel 3, rail 1, wire 42 to battery 43. If, however, the contact 41' is in the other position, then when the shoe 37 is raised by trip 39, the opening of contact 35 deenergizes relay 33, which latter then opens the circuit of magnet 26, thereby allowing valve 25 to be reversed in position. The energizing circuit of relay 33 includes the armathe speed is again reduced ture contact of this relay, so that after being once opened, this circuit will not close; hence, the armature contact 32 must be closed by contact of the shoe 37 with an energized ramp rail 39 or by some suitable auxiliary means in order to again energize magnet 26.

As stated hereinbefore, the diaphragm 22 is acted upon in one direction by the centrifugal device 8, and in the other direction by fluid pressure in the reservoir 24, which latter is usually connected to the brake pipe 6 by the valve 25 but is at times disconnected from the brake pipe and opened to atmosphere. The decrease in pressure in reservoir 24 when the latter is opened to atmosphere is rendered slow by an orifice 49 of restricted area interposed between the reservoir and the exhaust port 28.

The parts thus far described may be so proportioned that with a given pressure in the reservoir 24, for example, 7 0 pounds per square inch, when the speed of the vehicle is below a given value, such as miles per hour, the fluid pressure on diaphragm 22 overcomes the pressure exerted on the diaphragm by the centrifugal device 8, and the latter remains closed; but when the speed reaches 70 miles per hour, the pressure ex erted on the diaphragm by the centrifugal device overcomes the fluid pressure and the centrifugal device opens. The structure of the centrifugal device 8 is such that when w to a given value such as 65 miles per hour the centrifugal device again closes.

It will be evident, therefore, that if the pressure in the reservoir 24 is less than 70 lbs.,,the centrifugal device 8 will open at aspeed lower than 70 miles per hour. Since the source of fluid pressure for the reservoir 24 is the brake pipe 6, it will be seen that a reduction of pressure in this pipe, which would render high speed running unsafe, will reduce the speed at which the centrifugal device opens.

The centrifugal device 8 may be employed to control any desired apparatus on the vehicle 2; as here shown, it is employed to control the fluid pressure brakes, in the manner which I will now ex lain.

Connected with the bra e pipe 6 by means of a pipe 61 is a valve device 60 which is normally closed but which may at times be opened to reduce thepressure in the brake pipe and thereby cause an application of the brakes. This valve device 60 is controlled by the fluid pressure in a pipe 53 in such manner that when the pressure in pipe 53 is at or above a predetermined value, the valve device 60 is closed, but when pressure in pipe 53 falls below this value, the valve device 60 opens. The pipe 53 is supplied with fluid pressure from the reservoir 5 in a manner hereinafter explained, and is provalve-device 60 opens.

vided with a valve '50 which is usually closedbut which is opened by the head 16 when the centrifugal device 8 opens. The valve is biased to the closed position by the fiuid pressure inpipe 53, and also by a spring 51 for a purpose hereinafter explained. When this valve is opened, the fluid in pipe 53 exhausts to atmosphere through ports 52. Connected with pipe 53 is a timing reservoir 54 fora purpose hereinafter explained.

The valve device 60 comprises a valve 68 which is adapted to seal on an annular valve seat 67 and thereby hold the brake pipe connection'61 closed. Valve 68 is biased to the open position by a sprin 62, by the fluid pressure in pipe 61 and by gravity. It is held closed, however, by a piston 64 the under face of which is acted upon by the pressure in ipe 53. This piston seals against a gas et in the upper part of the cylinder. The area of this piston is much greater than thearea of the valve 68. hence a considerably lower pressure in pipe 53 than in pipe 61 will hold valve 68 closed. Interposed between the piston 64: and the valve 68 is a spring 66, the purpose of which is to permit the valve v68 and the piston 64 to seal against their respective gaskets simultaneously. The pressure in pipe 53- when valve 50 is closed is, however, always as high as, or higher than, that in pipe 61, hence it will be seen that when pipe 53 is opened by valve 50, an interval of time will elapse before the pressure falls' to such point that This interval of time may be adjusted to any desired value by properly designing thevolume of the timing reservoir 54:. the area of the port through which valve 50 exhausts, and the area of port 57. Twill assume for purposes of this specification that this interval of time is 10 seconds.

l have stated that the pi ,e 53 is supplied with fluid pressure from the-reservoir As here shown, this reservoir is connected with the pipe through a valve device 55, which latter also controls a whistle'59. The valve device 55 com rises a valve 58, which is controlled by a piston 56, movable in a cylinder 63 formed by the body of the valve device. The cylinder on one side of the piston is connected with the reservoir 5 by a pipe 71, and on the other side with pipe 53; the piston 56 is provided with a port 57. It will be seen that at all times except when piston 56 is at the upper end of its StIOkQffillid from the reservoir 5 may flow into pipe53 through the port 57. When valve 50 is closed, the

iston 56 occupies'the position in which it is shown, thereby holding valve '58 closed; the reason for this is that the under .sideof valve 58 is exposed to atmosphere whereas the entire upper face of the piston is exposed:

to fluid pressure from reservoir 5, so that the effective area of the upper face of the piston is greater than that of the lower face. \Vhen, however, the valve 50 in pipe 53 is opened, the reduction of pressure in pipe 53 causes a reduction of pressure on theuppcr face of piston 56 so that the latter immediately rises, thereby opening valve 58 and causing the whistle 59 to sound.

It will be seen from the foregoing that when valve 50 is opened, whistle 59 immediately begins to sound, and that after an interval of timehcreinbefore assumed to be 10 seconds-valve device 60 operates to cause an application of the brakes.

It will also be evident from the foregoing that the speed of the vehicle at which the centrifugal device 8 will open, depends upon the fluid pressure in reservoir 24. 'hen the pressure is high, for example, pounds per square inch, as hereinbefore assumed. the speed may be high, for example, slightly less than 7O miles per hour, without causing the, centrifugal device to open. A lower pressure, however, permits the centrifugal device to open at a lower speed; the maximum permissive speed ma be indicated at all times to the driver 0 1e vehicle by the provision'of a pressure gage 69 connected with reservoir 2% and calibrated to read in miles per hour.

It will be apparent that if the fluid pressure on diaphragm 22 were the only force provided to counteract the tendency of the centrifugal device 8 to open. then when the pressure in reservoir 24 were reduced to atmospheric pressure, the slightest movement of the vehicle would cause the centrifugal device to open and to open valve 50. hence the. vehicle would then be held at a standstill. To permit slow movement of the vehicle under this condition, 1 preferably provide the spring 51. and adjust it so that when the fluid pressure on diaphragm 22 is atmospheric. the vehicle may proceed at a low speed, such for example as 15 miles per hour, without causing centrifugal device 8 to open. This means that so far as the apparatus herein shown and described is concerned, the vehicle may always proceed at 15 miles per hour or less. even it the pressure in reservoir 2-lis atmospheric.

It is, of course, essential that at certain points on a railway a vehicle should he brought to a stop and not be permitted to proceed past a signal indicating stop. The apparatus herein shown and described has no provision for enforcing the indication of such a signal. but such provision can. when desired, be made by means of other apparatusas is well understood in the art.

In 2 I have sli'own a portion of a railway divided into block sections A. B. t. D. etc., through which traiiic moves in the direction indicated by the arrow. Block sections B. C and'D are protected respectively by railway signals S C and S each of which. as here shown, is adapted to give three indications, v1z., clear, fcautlon, and stop. Located 1n each block section is a ramp rail 39, each of which is provided with a portionof an auxiliary circuit similar to that hereinbefore explained in connection with Fig. 1. As here shown, the contact 41 for each ramp rail is operated by the signal for the next succeeding block section.

I will now explain the operation of the entire apparatus, referring to both views.

In Fig. 2, block section D is occupied bya vehicle 2, and block section A by a vehicle '2. It isunderstood that at least'vehicle 2 is equipped with. apparatus similar to that shown in Fig. 1. Since block section D is occupied, signal S indicates stop, and since block sections C and B are unoccupied, signal S indicates caution and signal S indicates clear. I will assume that vehicle 2 is at rest and that vehicle 2' is moving. As vehicle 2 proceeds through; block section B and passes over ramp rail 39 in this block, relay 33 is is opened, thereby deenergizing magnet 26, which permits valve 25 to reverse, thereby disconnecting reservoir 24 from pipe 6 and connecting the reservoir with atmosphere. The fluid pressure on the diaphragm 22, therefore, gradually decreases in proportion to the lapse of time, in accordance with the welliknown law of the flow of fluid through an orifice. When this ressure has reached a certain value, depending on the speed of the vehicle, the action of the centrifugal de vice 8 overcomes the -total effect of the fluid pressure on diaphragm 22 and of the fluid pressure, and the spring 51 on valve 50, and the centrifugal device then opens, thereby opening. valve 50. It is evident that the distance which the vehicle travels after passing ramp rail 39 before the centrifugal device opens, varies according to the speed; it the speed is high, then only a slight reduction of fluid pressure is necessary to permit the centrifugal device to open, and, therefore, only a short interval of time elapses-before the device opens; whereas, if the speed is low, a

considerable reduction of fluid pressure isnecessary to permit the centrifugal device to open, hence a considerable period of time elapses before the device opens. Hence, at high speed the valve 50 is opened only a short distance after the ramp rail is passed, and at low speed the valve is not opened until the vehicle has traveled a considerable 7 distance beyond the ramp rail. The result is that at high speeds the brakes will be applied sooner than at low speeds; the arts may be so adjusted and the ramp rai s 39 may be so located that regardless of speed the vehicle will be brought to a stop at approximately the same point, which point is preferably a short distance in the rear of the next signalwhich in Fig. 2 is signal S.

Immediately upon the opening of valve 50, the whistle 59 will begin to sound; then after an interval of ten seconds, valve device 60 will operate to cause an application of the brakes. If during this interval the driverof the vehicle should apply' the brakes and reduce the speed of the vehicle to the point at which the centrifugal device closes, valve device 60 will, of course, not be operated. That is, if the driver heeds the warning given by the whistle 59, the valve device 60 need never operate to cause an automatic application of the brakes. If, however, the warning given by the whistle is not heeded, and valve device 60 operates to apply the brakes, then as soon as the speed of the vehicle is reduced to that permltted by the pressure in reservoir 24, valve device 60 will again close and as soon as pressure is again restored in brake pipe 6 the brakes will be released. This apparatus embodying my invention comprises, therefore, means for releasing the brakes after an automatic application thereof, after the speed of the vehicle has been reduced to the speed permitted by the apparatus.

Itwill be seen from the for oing, that I have provided apparatus whic will, under conditions of safety, impose a continuous high speed limit, and under conditions of caution will impose a continuous lowspeed limit, and which, when a danger point is being approached, will cause a radual decrease'of speed limit from the big limit to the low limit in such a manner that if at any time during such decrease the permissive speed is exceeded, the vehicle will be brought to a stop at substantially the same point outside the zone of da er.

Although I have herein s own and described only one form and arrangement of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various chan es and modifications may be'made therein within the scope of the appended claims without depart ng from the spirit and scope of my invention. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for controlling railway vehicles comprising a centrifugal. device operated by an axle of a vehicle, fluid pressure on the vehicle acting in opposition to said centrifugal device, means independent of the fluid pressure for exertinga comparatively small force acting also in opposition to the centrifugal device, and means responsive to lEa memos the centrifugal device for controlling the vehicle when the pressure exerted by the centrifugal device is suflicient to over-balance the sum of the pressure of the fluid and the pressure exerted by said independent means.

2. Speed controlling apparatus for vehi- I cles comprising a centrifu a1 device operated by an axle of the Vehicle, uid pressure tending to hold the centrifugal device closed, means for indicating to the driver of the vehicle the pressure of said fluid, and means responsive to opening of the centrifugal device for controlling the vehicle.

8. Speed controlling apparatus for vehicles comprising a centriifugal device operated by the movement of thevehicle, fluid pr sure tending to hold the centrifu a1 device closed, means for indicating to t e driver of the vehicle the pressure of said fluid, and means responsive to opening of the centrifw g l device for controlling the vehicle.

bral' 1 at in combination, a railway vehicle, in" Ring apparatus therefor comprising a brake pipe; a centrifu a1 device 0 eratively connected with an ax e of the vdhicle and in opposition to the fluid ressure in re pi e, and means contro led by the riin 'al Flevice and operating when the -:r overcomes the fluid pressure in the pipe to control the vehicle.

.Ln combination, a railway vehicle, g apparatus on said vehicle com rising a brake ipe, and means controlle by the pressure in the brake ipe for imposing a variable maximum sp limit depending upon the pressure in the brake pipe.

testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

L'LQYD V. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

A. {3. Noun, P. UTNE. 

